This invention relates to magnesium metal and more in particular pertains to solid magnesium metal containing particles to improve the wear resistance of magnesium.
Solid additives have been mixed with various metals to modify the properties of the metals; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,471 describing carbide containing welding rods. U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,298 relates to metal composites of a base metal exhibiting thixotropic properties with metallic and/or nonmetallic particles mixed throughout the base metal.
Machining of certain composites of metals and abrasive particles has heretofore generally not been feasible by normal machining techniques because of the rapidity at which the cutting tools wear or the unavailability of cutting tools or bits with a sufficient hardness to cut the abrasive particles. Grinding such composites may be effective, but accurately grinding complex shapes is oftentimes difficult and time consuming. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a castable metal complex with a greater resistance to wear, i.e., abrasion, than the base metal which is machinable using generally available equipment.